Casing or enclosure for water softening apparatus



Dec.`18, 1951 R, K, LYNES Y 2,579,328

A' CASING 0R ENCLOSUREFOR WATER SOFTENINGKAPPARATUS Filed June 7, 1948 l lNvENToR WML-(m1 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 18, 1951 i,

CASING R ENCLOSURE FOR WATER Y SOFTENING APPARATUS Roberts Kitchener Lynes, Birmingham, YEngland Application June 7, 1948, Serial No. 31,507 In Great Britain May 3, 1948 Claims.

This invention relates to casings or enclosures for water softening apparatus and more particularly for water softening apparatus of the kind or type technically known as the base exchange r type.

As is well understood water softening apparatus of the said type ordinarily incorporates a preferably cylindrical chamber for containing the charge of zeolitic or other granulated or powdered material employed in the softening process the said chamber having in association therewith a system of pipes or conduits and valve mechanism for controlling the water flow inthe normal use .of the apparatus and also such variations in the flow as are requisite from time to` time for the performance of the flushing and draining operations involved in effecting the regeneration'of the zeolite or other crystals contained in the cylindrical chamber.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide in combination with water softening apparatus of .ratus a cabinet-like appearance.

As heretofore constructed the said casing or l enclosure has comprised three parts or sections,

namely, a main part or body section, a detachable cover for the upper end of the said main section and a base or plinthvto whichthe body-is attached by screws passed into lugs or brackets furnished on the base or plinth.

Ordinarily the said parts or sections are made vfrom sheet metal the body section being formed by so bending a single sheet or plate of appropriate size as to produce therefrom a body structure of rectangular or substantially rectangular formation and comprising a front Wall having two parallel side walls integral therewith and projecting rearwardly at right angles thereto, the rear- Waldly presented side of the body structurebeing open. Y

The said ordinary construction of the main part or body section of the casing is attended "with the disadvantage that its bulk renders it inconvenient both for storage and transit and furthermore the charges for shipment, which are based, as ,is custo-maryion'the space vrequired for 'stowage,` are heavy;

has ferite object topm- Thepresent invention 2 casing or enclosure to beY used in combination with Water softening apparatus of the kind with which the invention is concerned and whereby the disadvantages aforesaid attending the use of the ordinary construction of such casings or enclosures are obviated.

The invention is characterised in that lthe cabinet-like casing or enclosure combined with the water softening apparatus comprises a main part or body section the walls whereof instead of being integrally formed as heretofore are constituted by three separate panels constructed and adapted to be assembled as hereinafter described and which prior to their assembly can be packed for convenience of storage and/or transit in a flat condition.

The invention further resides in the construction of the base or plinth provided in association with the said body section and the means combined with the plinth for the proper location relative thereto of the lower end of the chamber of the water softening apparatus and in other details of construction hereinafter described.

The invention will be further and more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a casingor enclosure in accordance with the invention in its application to water softening apparatus of the construction described in the specification of my co-pending application, Serial No. 793,561, filed December 23, 1947, now abandoned, for Letters Patent. v

, The parts comprising the casing or enclosure are shown in the drawings in the erected condition.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents the casing in front elevation; the softening apparatus to which it is applied being indicated in dottedv lines only and more or less diagrammatically in the said figure.

Figure 2 is a plan of the same, one half of the casing being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3, Figure 2, a portion of the main vpart or body section being broken away.

Figure 4 is a plan of the base or plinth shown apart from the casing.

Figure 5 represents a fragmentary portion of the upper part of the casing in sectional elevation, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan front corner of the casing. y Figures 5 and 6 are drawn to a larger'scale of one vide an improved ijpiistr11jc} iez r.I cabinet-inegi 'man the other rigores of the drawings.

IThe same numerals of reference indicate the same parts in the several gures wherein the softening chamber is denoted by the reference 8, the control unit associated therewith by the reference 9, and contiguous portions of the pipework of the installation by the reference I0.

In accordance with this invention thernain part or bodytofthe casing or enclosure comprisesV a front wallmarked II and two sidewalls marked IIa parallel with each other and at right angles to the front wall II each wall being constituted by a panel of plate or sheet metal of the-appro.- priate dimensions to provide a casing which'will accommodate the apparatus to be enclosed. Y

The vertical and horizontal marginal" parts marked respectively IIb and "I'Ic of eachpan'el are inwardly bent or flanged so that thepanels have a shallow dish-like formation and the flange I Ic which extends along the lower horizontal edge I2 and shown sperately in lplan'in ligureil.V

"The 'ijlanges' Ilb onthe'respective vertical 'edges for' thepanelslor walls, I I I I a are 'adaptedfor the "c nnectionftherewith of llets,jfmarked 13,# I3a,y ffwhich, 'when the Vpanels are assembled to 'form t e casing'or'` enclosure, constitute-the vertical j'oorners of 'the v-casing; and r*give rigidity v"tlfieieto ""and'also serve i90-*enhance 'the 'smart-appearance '-*furtlierservingfor "effecting the connectionV of Vthe panels I IEL forming the side lwails with 'the respective 'sides of -thefpanel I I which constitutes fthe front-'wall ofthe casing.

"Thes'aid corner `ilets '53, 513e are preferably vores' 2 and' 6, th`eir-iiat sideshaving a'width equivythe' width 'panelsfto whichin-the assembling "of the `parte Ifltlieyy areiixed by pins E35, lor rivets, any'desired 'jiriiirnber ofwhich'may oe employed, appropriately spacedv apart, according to the iength'of' lthejbody 'seotion.

lThe base or plinth I2Vv aforesaid associatedfw'ith the body of theH casing is, as is bestseenfirr Figuiefl, of anppen sided yfreine-likev construction,

"theparallel arms l"or sides and thecrossm'ember V which interconnects them at their front endSQV-be- "ingof I. `orj angle section, the verticalweba "marked |25, projecting upwards hfrom theouter 'edges of the urespective'hori'zontal webs, marked i 2b, thedis'tance between the innerfacesofjthe vertical webs I2a of the parallel vside armsfbeing"v "suchasto permit Athevlocation between"them of the;`downwardly turned parts I Idon theiliorizontal lianges llv'onthe lower endsiof the panels 4 each part being bent laterally outwards to prvide earpieces I4b which are furnished with coincident holes or perforations for the passage therethrough of connecting screw bolts or pins I5 whereby the two parts of the clip may be detachably secured together.

The partor half IIIl o theclip which is adja- -cent the `front' side or cro'ss memberof the plinth "I2 is x'e'd'fto the' plinthb'y'soldering or otherwise securing its earpieces Mb to the respective side r"arms of the plinth with its open side presented tothe'operi'sideof the plinth.

`This two part clip has an internal diameter vappropriate forembracing the cylindrical cham- -loer"'8'of Ythesoftening apparatus when the plinth `is "applied thereto The top-of the body or main part of the casing has a horizontal plate or platform l thereon which is'furnished with an aperture I6q through which the reduced or neck-like upperend of the softening chamber v 8 projects, the -said aperture `I te* preferably -having-an V'upwardly Jci'irved'p'eriphery Whichisfseated on a "groniniet `I1 @of India"V rubber oir-"other suitable' non-metallic imaterial arranged on the neck of the cylinder *below the `underside ofthev saidl platformi I'B.

"The aperture L15a `Viii-'thel :platform I 6 isinlaXial aligiiinentwith the two lpart clip-aforesaid assoj ciated-iwi-thwthe l"base orplinthwhen the casing i* is applied tothe softening apparatus.

V'f'Ilienuts VI9 whereby fthe said scre`w"pins-"I8 'are securedY are, 5 preferably of f the V'taper or Aconical formation shown and are, orinay befmade of'j fibre `"orf "other'suitable` non-metallicmaterial "-and'adapted to Vcr'istitt'ite vrpegs for a locatingl en- "-gagenient' I with coincident holes provided -in' 5inwardlyturned parts 2Ea on the lower-edgesfofthe dependingi'rim orfl'ange Aof a detachableltop -eover'za In'f applying 'the casing? described to the softening"apparatus""th`e detachable part laof the 'bandelikeclipassociated withVv the vpl'in-th VVI2'is first detached from tlie'xed4 pat kI4 of theolip ifaridfthe plinlthfis vpushed-up to the softeningcylinderl'fgs'o `astobring the'xed part I4 lof'lthe wa-ils' ofthecasing take a seating 'on theiupper "fedgesofthe corresponding vertical websfiEfofI the plinth as is best seen in FigureA 3.

'The pinth I2 has inA association therewithand disposed in a horizontaljplanebetween tsflside clip finto position-"th'ereagainst,the detachable part 'o fthe clip Ide being then re-connectedfto 'A the fixed partand bolted up.

, @Thescrewfcap 18 whereby the rupper end-'ofA the softening chamber-*8 is orflinarilyy closed isftemjp'oarily removed-and lthe-main part or body of #the-'leasing isflowered down over the said cham- "bep'andfthe-contiguous portions of the'pipework `-|qassociated therewith 'until the downturried flpart's; I'Id on'theflanges I Ic onthe'lower horizontal-edges 4of y'the panelsengage within the'yer- "tiial'webs I`2ffof'the plinth, the said downturned "partsjdllffjonithe respective side panels I'Iabeing appropriately noteheafor the aecommoda'uonjf the earpieces of the xed'part I4 of the'bandk-clipwhen 'tilebody section of the casing is inthe fully lowered positionfthe engagement of its lower end with the 4plirith I2 Vand vthe" "engagement l of theiperiphery fof the aperture I 6F in the platform "IB atitsippe'end with the gljrliinet ITproufv dY asaforesaid Ioir-the n'eck of"the"chamb`er er: ;averyj rigid hbidmgifoffuie'cassitio drtliecliiiber. l

The assembling operation is completed by re- `fixing the screw cap `88L on the chamber 8 and then placing the detachable cover 20 on the upper end of the main part or body of the casing whereon it is located by the peg-like nuts I9 aforesaid.

The front wall or panel I l of the casing is provided with an aperture Ile appropriately located therein for gaining access to the control unit 9 mounted on the softening chamber 8.

It will be appreciated that the parts of casings in accordance with the invention can, prior to their assembly for application to softening apparatus, be packed in a flat condition for convenience of storage or transit.

I claim:

l. A sectional casing for enclosing water softening apparatus of the type comprising an upright water treating chamber having a neck at its upper end and external piping, said casing comprising a plinth-like base section closed at the front and two sides and open at the rear for insertion at the front and sides of the lower end of said chamber, complemental front and rear clips to embrace the lower end of the chamber and having means for clamping them together against the chamber, one of said clip members being fixed to the sides of the b-ase section, an upright body section designed to enclose the water softening chamber and piping and having front and side walls and being open at the rear to receive the chamber and piping, a top member xed to the upper end of the body section and having an aperture therein to receive the neck on the chamber, and a cover section removably positioned on the top member and enclosing the upper end of the neck on thechamber.

2. A sectional casing for enclosing water softening apparatus of the type comprising a Water treating chamber having a neck at its upper end and a removable cap therefor, and eX- ternal piping, said casing comprising a plinthlike base section having secured thereto a clip member engageable with one side of the lower end of the chamber and a complemental clip member engageable with the other side of the lower end of the chamber, means for securing the clip members together and thereby clamp the lower end of the chamber between them, an upright body section mounted on the base section and designed to enclose the body of the chamber and its external piping, a top member fixed to the upper end of the body section and having an opening therein to receive the neck of the water treating chamber, and a cover section removably mounted on said top member and enclosing the cap on the water treating chamber.

3. A sectional casing as defined in claim 2, including projections fixed to said top member and extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein said cover section is provided with inturned flanges to rest on said top member and having apertures therein to receive said projections and thereby position the cover section on the body section of the casing.

4. A sectional for enclosing water softening apparatus of the type having an upright water treating chamber and external piping, comprising a plinth-like base section'having upturned front and side flanges, an upright body section designed to enclose the chamber and piping and having front and side walls provided at their lower edges with anges which are turned inwardly to rest on the respective flanges on the base section and turned downwardly to engage the inner sides of the respective flanges on the base section, a top plate i'lxed to the upper end of the body section and having an aperture therein for extension of the upper end of the water treating chamber therethrough to its upper side, and a cover section having inturned anges to rest removably on said top plate and space the cover section above the upper end of said chamber.

5. A sectional casing as dened in claim 4, wherein said body section comprises front and side walls having flanges along their adjacent edges which are inturned and lie in right angular relation at the respective corners of the body section, and including corner llets of quadrangular cross-section forming right angular flanges thereon which are tted between and secured to the flanges of the front and side walls at the respective corners of the body section.

ROBERTS KITCHEN ER LYNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le o f this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 868,310 White et al. Oct. 15, 1907 1,796,024 Hohler Mar. 10, 1931 1,875,813 Kaplan Sept. 6, 1932 1,970,267 Bales Aug. 14, 1934 2,469,156 Cargill May 3, 1949 2,483,606 Albach Oct. 4, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 698,660 Germany .A Nov. 14, 1940 

